


Fergus's Edinburgh Adventure

by HillandGlen



Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: #FergusFraser, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-22 15:49:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21079343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HillandGlen/pseuds/HillandGlen
Summary: After Jamie is captured and taken to Ardmuir. Fergus is left behind at Lallybroch. Growing up and a small estate is difficult for a one handed French city lad.





	1. Mac Peathar

Fergus watched as they dragged him away. It took Mrs Crook, holding him into her shoulder tight, for him not to try to run out of the door, to fight the redcoats. To stop them putting his father into the wagon.  
Madam Murray came back into the kitchen, tears streaming down her face. “I will never forgive him for making me do that” she said sinking into a chair  
Fergus made a move and went to stand before her. “It is my fault Madam” he said crying silently  
Jenny Murray looked up, then shook her head “No mac peathar. It was Jamie’s decision. You ken what he is like. When he makes up his mind. It stays made up.” She told the young man.  
He was about nineteen now, although still skinny and looked younger than his years. She wondered if Claire would have recognised, the boy she called son, seven years on from her death. His arm was still bandaged. But she thanked god it had been a clean cut. He would learn to live without it. As Ian had without his leg.  
The next few years were not easy. Ian was released from the Tolbooth, but his health was bad. A cough that kept him awake at night, and left him breathless while walking debilitated him. The fields were not producing much, although they had not lost many men at Culloden. What was been produced had to go further. Thank God for the potatoes, without them they would have surely starved.  
And Fergus. Fergus was always getting into trouble. The loss of his hand was bad enough. The loss of the Jamie was even worse. Ian tried to keep him in line. He was treated the same as young Jamie and Rabbie Macnab, but still trouble seemed to find him.  
And the girls! More than one father had been at their door complaining about Fergus playing with their daughters affection.  
He helped on the Estate, but with only one hand and no real interest in farming, he wasn’t very good at it.  
Finally, the answer came with Ned Gowan. He had come with a letter. The first from Jamie since her had been taken away. He was in England, on Parole as a groom at a big house there.  
The joyfulness, in the kitchen that day, as Ian had sat in the chair by the hearth and read it to them all. Sliding a private letter from the seal to Jenny for her to read alone later. Jamie was alive and well. But he didn’t ken when his parole would be pardoned, if ever. But to ken they could now write and ken he was alright lifted all of them.  
After, when only Ian, Jenny and Ned sat sipping tea and talking, Jenny brought up the matter of Fergus.  
“You want rid of the boy” Ned said eyebrows going up. He knew what Fergus meant to Jamie and was surprised that his family would abandon him.  
“Christ no!” Ian exclaimed “Fergus is one of our own, we would no more be rid of him, that young Jamie, or Michael”  
“No” Jenny interjected “No, we were just after thinking, that maybe you would maybe ken somebody in say Edinburgh. Who may have a need for such a lad as Fergus? He’s canny now, reads and writes in English, French and the Gaighlig. Because if he is to say here, some father will hang him or marry him at the end of a gun” Jenny said depreciating smile  
“Ah I see” Ned said then putting his pipe in his mouth, pondered.  
“Well I may ken somebody who could do with the lads ‘special’ qualification” Ned said “But I’m not sure you would approve” he grinned.  
“And what would that be now” Ian said eyebrows going up.  
“Well a friend of mine, she is a businesswoman in Edinburgh. Does two or three business’s you ken. I think Madam Jeanne, yes, she may have a need of someone like Fergus” Ned said smiling.  
“And what does this Madam Jeanne do? And what special qualification has Fergus got?” Jenny replied perplexed.  
But Ian looked shocked “Your not thinking to put him back in that business! Jamie would kill us, and why would Fergus want to do that!”  
“No, no, not that Ian. No, but when I left Edinburgh, well she was looking for someone to do the buying and selling for her other small spirited business. I do a lot of the paperwork, but well I am not so young now you ken. Fergus, well, he would not be so shocked at her more prominent business. And well if he was to avail himself of Madam Jeanne’s commodities, shall we say. Then maybe there would be no fathers to contend with.” Ned finished with a grin.  
“Will one of you tell me what you are talking about!” Jenny exploded  
Ian turned to her “Well mo ghraidh. Ned here is considering sending our mac peathar to work as a smuggler for a brothel’s Madam if I’m not mistaken!” he turned back to Ned “Is that no right Mr Gowan”  
For once Jenny Murray was speechless. She just stared at Ned open mouthed. And before she could get her thoughts in order. Or put together a comprehensive reason what that was never going to happen to her lad, not while she had a breathe in her body. Fergus pushed the door open  
“Oui Monsieur Gowan. I will go” he said simply.


	2. French Boudoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fergus arrives in Edinburgh

Chapter 2 : French Boudoir  
Fergus jumped down off the top of the coach and landed on the Royal Mile. Taking the letter of introduction from his pocket he looked again at the address, although he knew it off by heart.   
Pushing his dark curls from his eyes, he set off down the road, stopping a pretty bannock seller to ask for directions.   
“You don’t need to go there” she said fluttering her eyes at the tall French lad.   
“Ah my petite lass, but I do. I have work to do” he said smiling down at her.  
“Ahh such a pity” she said understandingly.  
“Non, non. Not that sort of work? Fergus said shaking his head “Maybe I will come find you later n’est pas?” he grinned, and she melted.   
Finally finding the door he wanted he knocked and waited. It was finally opened by a tired looking woman in a cleaning apron.   
“We are no open, not till Twelve O’clock” she said making to close the door again.   
“Madan Jeanne?” he asked quickly  
“No, I’m Pauline. Madam Jeanne is not seeing anybody at this time of the morning. Tis barely breakfast.” The servant said dismissing him.   
“oui, I am sorry, please you will give her this.” He held out the letter “It is from Monsieur Gowan”   
Pauline stopped closing the door and looked at him curiously. “Stay there” she said and took the letter. A few moments later she returned and bid him enter.   
“This way, Madam Jeanne is in her room” Pauline informed him and led him to the back of the house.   
Passing through he caught interested looks from young girls in various stages of undress. He smiled at them and nodded graciously. One in particular caught his eye and brazenly winked. He blew her a kiss in return, causing them all to giggle.  
Fergus was taken into a room, which if he had not known where he was, he would have thought was a smart Parisian boudoir.  
A fine boned woman of indeterminate age as siting in a chair, a cat on her lap.   
“You are the man Monsieur Gowan has sent me” she looked him up and down, taking in his missing hand “You are twenty-one? You look younger” she said  
“Oui Madame. I think I am; I was born in a Parisian Brothel. I do not know my actual age. My adopted Father, he thought I was ten when he found me.” Fergus explained in French  
Jeanne’s eyebrows shot up. “You are French!” she said in surprise “Ned did not tell me that, only that your name is Fergus. I thought you would be a Scot”  
“Non-Madam, I come here with the rising. I have been living in the highlands. Mon Pere he was from there. I lost my hand fighting the redcoats.”  
She nodded slowly. “You have been left alone again” she said quietly.  
“Non, I have family still there. But Mon Pere, he is a prisoner. La Mere, she, she” he still couldn’t say that Claire was dead, not even after ten years.   
Jeanne nodded again. “Sit” she instructed him  
Carefully, aware of his travel stained clothes, he sat on a delicate chair.   
“I need someone, to collect my liquor from the docks, to trade with the smugglers. To get me the best price. Someone who speaks French will be the best. I also need someone to keep my books here. You can read and write? And count?” she asked.  
“Oui Madam. My foster Pere, he made sure. Myself and my cousins, we had a tutor.”” Fergus said earnestly.  
Jeanne sat back in her chair and looked at him.   
“So why if you are educated, are wanting to work here?”  
Fergus gave his most charming smile. “Mon Pere, he left me with is sister. A very strong lady is Madam Jenny. But she knows that I am not happy in the country. I would rather have the city.” He said  
“So, this Madam Jenny, she sends you to a brothel!” she said her face showing what she thought of a woman that would let a young man work in a brothel when he didn’t need to.   
She herself had had no choice but become a whore. But had fought her way to owning this place, and now only lay with those she wanted to.  
“No. Madam Jenny, she had a few things to say about it” Fergus said with a grin, remembering the diminutive Janet Fraser Murray exploding like a firework when he said he wanted to go.   
Ned had retreated behind the table as she had thrown everything, she could lay her hands on at him. Ian eventually had bodily picked her up and carried her off, still shouting and cursing.  
Wee Ian, his youngest cousin had stood looking around the door wide eyes in astonishment at his mother.  
“But still you are here” Jeanne said  
“Oui Madam” Fergus inclined his head.   
Jeanne pondered him again, then rang a bell.  
“Pauline, please show Monsieur Fergus to the top attic room. That will be his from now on.” Fergus rose and with a bow went to take his leave.  
“Fergus” she said stopping him.   
“My girls, they are not free” she told him with a knowing look.


End file.
